Matthew Turner
Matthew Edward Turner, son, brother, teacher, coach, mentor and friend to many died on Feb. 26, 2021, of natural causes.
Matthew was born June 14, 1973, to Mark and Linda Turner of Butler, and had a happy childhood surrounded by his immediate and extended family in the area.
Matthew attended Butler Catholic for elementary and middle school before completing his high school education at Butler High School.
Always athletic, it was in Matthew’s freshman year of high school that he discovered a passion and talent for competitive swimming. Matthew went on to major in history and philosophy as an undergraduate student at Mercyhurst College in Erie. His collegiate experiences were so rich that two of his younger brothers also enrolled and graduated from Mercyhurst College.
After graduating from Mercyhurst in 1995, he spent a year working for Mazza Family Winery in the Lake Erie wine region full time, while saving up for graduate school. He went on to complete a Master of Arts in teaching degree in 1998, from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.
After teaching for a few years in the Schenectady area, he began his long-term teaching position at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (BH-BL) High School in 2000, where he taught social studies classes for more than 20 years.
Matthew was a consummate professional, dedicated to his craft, his students and his athletes. He is remembered as being the first one to school in the morning and one of the last to leave. In his tenure at BH-BL, Matthew taught thousands of students in the humanities, and left an indelible mark on many of them. He sought opportunities for his students and colleagues alike outside of the classroom, and led exchange trips to Spain and educational tours throughout Europe, as well as an annual trip for CIVITAS students to Washington, D.C.
As a professional, he continued to pursue educational fellowships and graduate courses in history. He was the first teacher at BH-BL to complete the requirements for National Board Certification and was the longtime adviser to CIVITAS, the high school History, Civics and Debate Club. The club participated in a number of organized activities, including the Model U.N. program. He fostered an environment where students could freely and openly banter, and treated them with the respect of equals. Matthew cared deeply about the success of his students, and leaves a lasting impact on the students of BH-BL, both inside and outside of the classroom.
Matthew was also known by many students as “Turner” as the girls (20 years) and boys (16 years) BH-BL High School swim team coach. Turner’s overall coaching record for the girls was 132-62-3, and 68-95 for the boys team. Both teams were ranked in the top 10 in New York State for numerous years under his leadership. Many teams he coached were New York State Team Scholars, NISCA Team Scholars, and many individuals won Academic All-American awards. One team won the Suburban Council Sportsmanship Award.
Matthew’s mentorship continued after graduation. He would annually bring back the people he had coached over 20 years through the Alumni Swim Meet that he organized around the holidays. One of his more famous quotes encompasses his spirit of giving all of yourself to whatever you do and never being truly finished, “Last one, Fast one,” as a promised finish to a tough swimming set … only to have the team complete one more to get the absolute most out of themselves.
Matthew chose to invest in those things that brought him the greatest joy; his extensive historical library that took up one wall of his home, and a comfortable leather chair with which he enjoyed said books; his students, friends and family; his favorite diner, the Burnt Hills Cafe, that he often visited; and traveling, particularly to Europe to ingrain himself in the history and cultures, which he taught about with great passion.
Matthew is survived by his grandmother, Betty Lou Turner; his parents, Mark and Linda Turner; his brothers, Luke Turner (Lauren), John Turner (Elaine) and Andrew Turner (Jamie); and his nieces and nephews, Julia, Nora, Martin, Jack, Stanley and Ellie; as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins that loved him dearly.
TURNER — Visitation for Matthew Edward Turner, who died Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, will be held from 10 a.m. until noon Friday for immediate family.
An open Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 12:30 p.m. Friday at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St., Butler.
Interment will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Butler.
Arrangements are under the direction of Geibel Funeral Home, Butler.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School Matthew Turner Scholarship Fund that memorializes and recognizes the legacy of Matthew at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School. Checks can be made out to BH-BL High School or the Matt Turner Scholarship Fund and sent to BH-BL High School, Attn: Tim Brunson, 88 Lakehill Road, Burnt Hills, NY 12027.
For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.geibelfuneralhome.com.
